


The Pull of the Tides

by hamsandwich



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Boats and Ships, Eventual Romance, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29192574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hamsandwich/pseuds/hamsandwich
Summary: Pirate AU. Captain Roy Mustang and his faithful crew come across two young boys stranded in the open waters, and the reason they are so far from home gives Captain Mustang the opportunity of a lifetime. With his first mate Hawkeye and a loyal crew, he sets out to help the two boys save their childhood friend who has been captured by rival pirates. The ones with ouroboros tattoos. A deceptive map, mysterious telescopes, and a whirlwind of characters may just bring Captain Roy Mustang and his crew closer to a long lost treasure of the ocean, but they'll have to fight other pirates, a ruthless Amestrian Royal Navy, and an abundance of strange creatures along the way. Royai mainly, young and innocent edwin and almei on the side! Alternate universe.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Mei Chan | May Chang/Alphonse Elric, Rebecca Catalina/Jean Havoc, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Kudos: 28





	1. Village by the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading! This is my second attempt at writing a full length fanfiction. I just finished my first one "Snowfall" about a month ago so if you like Royai-you should definitely check it out! Anyway, here's my attempt at a Pirate AU! Please feel free to give kudos and comments are always appreciated!

Chapter 1: Village by the Sea

The waves crashed against the rocky edge of the shoreline, a sound that brought comfort to the young girl standing on the beach. Her toes mingled in the sand as the salt water hit her nose and sent her yellow hair flying upwards in the wind.

“Winry! Hey, Winry!” Edward called from the top of the hill where he and Alphonse were waving their hands wildly to get her attention.

“What is it?” She called, her long dress billowing around her.

“There is a pirate ship coming into port!”

“You’re not still on about that are you?” Winry trudged up the hill towards the boys and crossed her arms. “How many times do I have to tell you, just because it is a large ship that does not make it a pirate ship.”

“Winry! I really looked at it this time!” Edward scowled. “It’s a big ship with black sails! That’s a pirate ship!”

She sighed, letting the older boy take her hand and drag her towards town with his little brother in tow. Winry had just turned twelve and was becoming far too sensible for these childish things. Edward was also 12 and was nearly ready to start working either in town, in the fields, or on a local fishing boat. Alphonse however, was still only ten but would be turning eleven in just a few short months. The three of them had known each other since they were babies in their mother’s arms. 

Winry lived with her grandmother while her parents were off in neighboring towns, healing the sick. Ed and Al lived with their mother, and their Father had not been seen for a few years. Most of the townsfolk said Hohenheim had deserted his wife and children to return to the sea from whence he came. Trisha reminded the boys that their Father had a very important quest and had set out to make the world a better place. Edward had scoffed at this and sided more with the townsfolk, but Alphonse remained hopeful that his Father would return.

The children ran through the entrance to town, making their way down the street. Resembool was a small town with a small dock, littered with sheep on the green hillsides and had formed a close knit community. Though the dock was not large like some other towns and villages, Resembool managed to stay decently busy since any other seaside village was incredibly far away in either direction. 

After a few streets the trio reached the pier where the ships came up to dock, lined with mostly fish merchants and the town pub. Winry picked up the ends of her dress so she would not trip, following the boys and trying to keep up. Once they reached their destination, Alphonse pointed to the sea and turned to his childhood friend.

“See? Do you see it? Ed was right!” He exclaimed happily.

“I don’t see anything.” Winry huffed and crossed her arms. 

“Look closer!” Ed grabbed Winry’s arm and pulled her up onto a nearby crate so they could have a better view of the incoming waters. 

Much to Winry’s dismay, the boys were correct this time. A large ship made of deep, dark wood and billowing black sails was making its way towards their little village. She chewed her lip and gripped her dress anxiously.

“If those really are pirates...a-are they going to hurt us?” 

Ed looked over to his friend, seeing her eyes widening with fear and her lip beginning to tremble. He grasped her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “Don’t worry, Winry. We won’t let anything happen to you. Will we, Al?”

“Of course, we’ll protect you! And Grandma Pinako and our Mom too!” 

Winry hopped down off the crate and looked worriedly at the boys. “I-I think we should head home, it’s almost suppertime.”

Ed looked out to the open waters where the massive ship was waiting for the tide to pull it into port, it wouldn’t be here before nightfall anyways. The golden-haired boy sighed. “Alright Winry, we’ll walk you home.”

“But-” Al began to protest, stopping at the earned glare from his brother. 

The three made their way back through town and out onto the hillsides where their houses sat in the green grass, surrounded by the sheep farms and overlooked a different view of the sea. As they approached Winry’s house, Ed had noticed she had remained quiet and a look of worry had etched itself onto her features. 

“Hey, Winry…” Ed began, his words getting caught in his throat as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I wouldn’t worry about that ship, it’s probably just a regular ship with regular old sails…”

Winry halted and looked at him. “That ship had black sails, you even said it yourself...Pirate ships wave black sails.” Her mind raced with memories of all the stories the boys had told her over the years about pirates. She remembered that Ed and Al’s father, Hohenheim, had been a sailor and had actually seen pirates. He would tell the kids how dangerous pirates could be, especially to small and vulnerable villages.

“Nothing’s gonna happen. Maybe Hohenheim was wrong! Afterall, he said he’d come back and it's been two years now.”

“I suppose that’s true…” She sighed, still not fully convinced.

Alphonse shuffled his feet in the dirt of the path, unsure of how to comfort his friend. His hand instinctively reached for his pocket, grasping onto the cold bronze of the tiny telescope that his Father had given him. He suddenly perked up and looked at Winry with a big smile.

“Winry, hold out your hand!”

She looked at him skeptically before putting her delicate hand out towards him. Alphonse placed a tiny telescope made of bronze in the palm of her hand. She stared at it for a moment before looking at the brothers. 

“What is this, Al?”

“It’s a magical telescope! Father gave it to us before he left. He said that it protects whoever holds it, because it knows the biggest secret of the ocean!” 

“The biggest secret of the ocean?” Winry asked as she turned the telescope over in her hands. She slowly put it up to her eye, seeing an array of colors in its view. “...pretty…” She whispered.

“It’ll keep you safe.” Alphonse nodded assuredly. 

“But what about you two?”

Edward thrust his hand in his pocket, using the other one to wave her off casually. “Don’t worry, we got another one at home. Hohenheim said that the telescopes were brothers and when they are used together, all is revealed-blah, blah, blah…”

Alphonse shot his brother a quick glare before turning back to Winry. “And now you can hold onto this one for us.” He beamed and waved his hand to say goodbye. “Good night, Winry!”

“Night, Winry!” Ed called out as he turned and followed his brother, only looking back to shout at the young girl once more. “Everything will be fine! Keep it safe!”

Winry watched from her doorstep as the two boys ran farther up the hill towards their house. She smiled and clutched the telescope, relishing in the silly comfort.

A few hours later…

Winry scooped the rest of her stew into a smaller bowl, walking towards the wood door of the cottage house. “I’m going to feed Den! I’ll be right back!”

“Alright, be careful!” Pinako called out to her granddaughter, watching her smile and shut the door behind her. Den began to bark as soon as he heard food was coming, all was well. 

Winry was met with the brisk wind of the night, looking up to the stars with a sigh before stepping down the stone steps of the cottage and onto the grass below. Den came up to greet her, prancing happily at her feet. She smiled and lowered the bowl of food to him and watched him eat. Movement in her peripheral caught her attention. She turned towards the direction of the path that weaved past her home and into town. Two small figures were running down the path, nearing her house. 

Her heart began to race as she ducked into some tall grass by the wooden fence that outlined her yard, clutching the telescope tightly. ‘Is it...Pirates?’ She wondered.

As the two figures ran past her house, Winry was able to make out their forms a little better in the dim moonlight. A sudden annoyance cast over her face realizing it was Ed and Al heading in the direction of town. She stood with a huff, running over to Den to pat his head.

“Those boys are going to be the death of me, I swear! I bet you anything they are going to get a closer look at that pirate ship!” She raised her arms in exasperation. “I guess I’ll just have to go stop them myself!” Winry pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, ordering Den to stay put and watch over Granny. She hurried past the fence and made her way to the path stretching to town. 

She picked up her pace, realizing she wouldn’t catch up with the boys as well as she had in the past. Her skirts were now longer and constantly threatened to trip her on every step. Winry grumbled and hiked up the petticoat underneath, increasing her speed. In the darkness, she could just barely see the two boys run under the lamps of the shops in town as they made their way to the pier. 

Ed and Al reached the docks, unbeknownst to them that they were being followed. They ducked behind some crates with just enough view to watch the large black ship being tied to one of the docks. Winry smiled in success as she had nearly caught up to them, only to be stopped in her tracks by the ominous ship now in port. She clung to the side of the nearest building to avoid being seen by the mysterious people walking down the gangplank. 

The mysterious group began to speak to each other, just loud enough for the boys and for Winry to hear.

“Hardly anyone around, are you sure this is the right place?” One of them said in annoyance, his stature was short and his long hair stuck out in wiry formations under a tied cloth.

“This is the town that was circled on the map, Envy.” A woman’s voice, despite being low and sultry, also carried an air of irritation. 

“Envy, Lustie!” One of them laughed, his figure was much taller and he threw up his arms in a friendly gesture. “I say we hit the pub and see what the townsfolk know, if this is where he settled down then someone is sure to know him, right?”

“Quiet down, Greed!” Envy clenched his fists. “Besides...you just want to get a drink and flirt with young ladies.”

“Exactly.” Greed said casually as he started to walk. “Now let’s head over there.”

“It’s not like we have much of a choice.” Lust sighed. “Hopefully someone here knows Hohenheim.”

Ed and Al’s eyes widened as they looked at each other, silently agreeing to follow these strange pirates to the local pub. ‘What could these people possibly want with their Father?’ The two of them both thought. 

Winry gasped as she watched the two boys poke their heads above the crates before running and dodging behind various mountains of cargo, following the strange group. She took a deep breath and clutched the telescope tightly before carefully tying it around her waist with a string, so she wouldn’t lose it. Regrettably, she followed the same path as the boys, ducking behind crates and barrels until she reached the pub.

Ed and Al watched the group enter the pub before the oldest brother motioned for his sibling to follow him, skirting around the side of the building where a stone square could be slid to the side and ones who were small enough could slide through the opening into the cellar.

Winry followed their example, frantically looking around to be sure she wasn’t being watched. She grunted quietly as she slid the stone slab to the side and scooted her way inside the opening, feet first. Hopping down onto a table with a clatter, she stilled and eyed the room carefully. The cellar was musty and dim, full of barrels and the smell of wine and ale permeated the walls. Winry knew the boys must have gone upstairs already, sliding carefully off the table and then stepped over to the staircase. Each step made the staircase groan and her heart began to race, would she be caught? Would she be in trouble? 

The young girl swallowed her fear and let out a deep breath. She had to make sure those boys didn’t do anything rash, especially since the mysterious people had mentioned their father. Her palms rested on the hatch above her, slowly pushing it up and giving her a sliver of a view.

The pub was full of its regulars, now joined by the freshly arrived group from the dark ship. They seemed to have broken off to talk to the townsfolk, covering more ground separately. Winry quickly spotted Ed and Al, crouched under a table and listening to the conversations in the room.

The one she recognized as “Greed” had walked over to the table where the bar maids were and ordered a drink. The one she heard them call “Envy” walked up to a table of fish merchants and slammed his hand on the table, Ed and Al were currently eavesdropping under the table nearby. 

“So...they call this town Resembool, correct?” 

The fish merchants looked at the strange, short man up and down, noticing his long sailors jacket and the sword attached to his hip, glinting in the dim lamp light.

“That’s right.” One of the locals offered. “You ain’t from around here, are ya?”

“Just docked in this evening.” Envy smiled with fake friendliness. “In fact...I’m looking for someone in particular, maybe you know him?” 

The locals at the table looked at each other before resuming the conversation. “Who might you be after? We don’t take kindly to strangers coming in to rough up our fellow townsmen.”

Envy put a hand on the hilt of his sword. “Just looking to talk about important matters.” This dangerous gesture and change of tone caused the merchants to glare and slowly reach for their weapons.

The woman that went by ‘Lust’, as the other two had called her earlier, walked up and put a hand on Envy’s shoulder.

“Now, now gentlemen...let’s not be so hasty.” Her voice was low and sultry, but it sent a chill down Winry’s spine nonetheless. The woman came to sit on one of the merchant’s lap, cupping her hand on his cheek. “We are simply looking for an old sailor friend of ours, we heard he may have settled down here in this little town?” 

The merchant gulped nervously, looking her over as he put his hands up to avoid touching her.

Lust cooed into the merchant’s ear. “Perhaps you know him? Van Hohenheim?”

“Van Hohenheim? What do you want with him?” Another man at the table asked.

“So you do know him. Tell me where he is.” Envy spat.

Other pub customers began to overhear the conversation, turning their heads to watch the tense scene unfolding. 

“Why would you want a guy like that? He’s long gone by now.” Someone at the bar offered to the discussion. 

“What do you mean long gone?” Lust asked, her eyes narrowing.

The man at the bar took a swig of beer, shrugging at her question. “He just up and left one night, packed a satchel and headed out to sea. That was nearly two years ago, lady.”

Greed approached with a barmaid hanging on each of his arms, his grin stretched across his face. “Well it looks like we are about two years two late then...”

One of the barmaids looked up at Greed. “Terrible man, he is. Up and left his wife and two sons all alone!”

The other barmaid interjected. “He probably got swallowed up by the sea for it!”

“So he has a wife and two children then?” Lust smiled, sliding off the merchant’s lap and turning to Envy. “Perhaps we should pay this wife of his... a visit.”

Envy gripped his sword with a devilish smile. “I think that’s a great idea-”

“Hey!” One of the men stood, reaching for a weapon. “You leave that family alone!”

Greed watched intently, slowly putting his hand up to a hidden coat pocket to reach for his pistol. His ruffled sleeve slid down allowing the barmaid to get a good view of his hand, a red tattoo etched on the back of it. An ouroboros.

The barmaid screamed and released his arm. “He’s a pirate!”

The room erupted into chaos. Pistols were fired, swords were clashed. People shouted and the sound of glass shattering and wood stools breaking echoed through the room. The townspeople were somehow out matched by the three pirates, each with their own unique weapon and fighting style. 

Winry winced at all the noise, but nearly shrieked as a merchant was shot and fell to the ground next to her. She opened her eyes again to see Alphonse struggling to hold Edward back from joining the fray. The younger brother was strong but his grip wouldn’t last forever. 

Taking a deep breath, Winry climbed out from underneath the cellar door and began to crawl towards the two boys, dodging people and furniture being thrown. She was nearly halfway to the boys when a bullet impacted the wood right in front of her, causing her to yelp loudly.

Greed looked over at the sound, seeing a young girl with her hands over her face in fear. He tilted his head and kneeled in front of her, surprisingly calm amongst the chaos. His eyes caught the glint of something tied around her waist, a small telescope with very intricate markings. She looked up at the pirate, her blue eyes wide with terror as Greed grinned and suddenly scooped her up and over his shoulder despite her screaming. 

Ed and Al stopped their tussle at the sound of their best friend’s scream. They looked up to see Greed calling to his mates for a quick retreat, with Winry slung over his shoulder.

“Winry!” Ed called as Alphonse finally released him and the two boys ran after them. A swift kick to Edward’s stomach caused the two boys to tumble backwards just before reaching the exit. 

Envy snickered. “Out of the way, pipsqueak!”

The three pirates made their escape towards the docks, leaving the townspeople to reel from the aftermath of the fight. 

Ed groaned as he held his stomach, trying to catch his breath and rolling onto the ground. Alphonse kneeled by him, shaking him. 

“Brother! Are you alright? Ed!”

Once he finally managed to sit up, Ed turned to his brother. “W-We’ve got to go get Winry.”

“Oh no you don’t…” A gruff older man walked over to them and picked them up by the scruff of their collars. “You boys are going home, Trisha must be worried sick about you two.”

The two boys yelled and squirmed in protest, giving the man a hard time trying to drag them away from the scene. The doors to the pub suddenly swung open, revealing a woman from town and her husband. Izumi and Sig Curtis, the local butchers of Resembool. 

“What is going on in here? I heard all the commotion from down the street.” Izumi said, then she eyed the two boys. “Why is it that it is always you two getting into trouble?”

“Mrs.Curtis! You have to help us! They took Winry and now we have to go stop them and-” Edward began as his brother began to talk at the same time. “It was pirates! They were looking for our dad! We have to stop the boat before they sail away!”

Izumi put her hands up to silence them. “Quiet! I can barely understand you two when you talk so fast over each other!” She looked at the man holding the boys by their collars. “You can hand the boys over to me and I will make sure they get home safely.”

The gruff man handed the two boys into Sig’s burly grasp and the couple began to carry them outside and down the street. Edward squirmed as he saw the road towards the docks, the ship with black sails already in the distance and headed towards the open waters. 

“You don’t understand! They’ve got her and we have to go!” 

Sig put the brothers down but held their shoulders firmly. Izumi kneeled to their height. “Tell me what happened.”

The boys briefed them on the situation, about the pirates and who they were looking for. How they took Winry and how the boys had vowed to protect her. 

Izumi listened intently to the story, looking at her husband with concern. “Pirates? I can’t believe I would ever see the day that Pirates would enter our port. And why would they take Winry?”

“I don’t know, dear, but we should alert all the townsfolk and get the town council involved.” Sig nodded to her. 

“But what about Winry? If we are gonna catch up to them, we need to leave now!” Edward pleaded with them. 

Izumi sighed. “I’m so sorry boys, but there isn’t anything you two can do right now but to go home and stay safe with your mother.”

“But-!” The brothers protested.

“No exceptions!” She said sternly, her face slowly changing into a look of reassurance. “You two run home, Sig and I will make sure the whole town gets together to plan a rescue for Winry. I’ll send for Pinako to come to my house and hopefully the town council can contact the Amestrian Royal Navy by morning.”

The two boys slumped in defeat, knowing they had no choice but to wait for now. The two began to run up the road towards home, only for Edward to turn back to Izumi, calling out to her.

“Oh! And one of the pirates had a funny looking tattoo on his hand! It looked like a snake eating its tail!”

Her eyes widened in realization as she waved them off to go home before turning to Sig, who matched her grave expression. “This is worse than I thought.”

Later that night...

“Come on, Al!” Ed’s hushed voice sounded in the night. “Let’s go!”

Alphonse followed but looked around nervously. “Ed? Are you sure we should be doing this? Won’t we get in trouble for stealing a boat?”

“We aren’t stealing. We’re just borrowing.” He responded, gently lowering two oars into the small wooden boat. 

“But you don’t even know how to sail a boat by yourself…” The younger brother looked up at the sky, the moon and stars were concealed by thick clouds. A storm was brewing. “...and it looks like a storm might hit-”

“Do you want to rescue Winry or not?” 

“I do! But maybe we should let an adult-”

“You heard them! They aren’t going to send out a search party until morning and the pirates will be long gone by then!” Edward whispered harshly. “It’s now or never, Alphonse.”

Alphonse took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

Once they were inside the small wooden boat, Edward untied them from the dock and the two brothers began to row out to sea. The water was black as the night sky and its waves were already threatening to tip them over, but the brothers remained on course. Alphonse took out the compass they had once found in their father’s study and Edward checked to make sure the second telescope was securely tied around his waist. 

As the small boat sailed into the open waters, Ed released the sail. A crack of lightning lit up the sky and a roll of thunder sounded above, sending a gust of wind into the sail. It didn’t take long into their voyage for the sea to become turbulent, the storm was upon them and their little boat was tossed around in the cold waters. 

“I can’t see a thing!” Alphonse cried as he clutched onto the oars, still trying to row in a particular direction.

“We just have to hold out! Hold on tight!” Ed yelled.

“What?” Al struggled to hear his brother amongst the crashing waves and howling wind. 

“Hold on!” The eldest brother looked out ahead only to see a wave so large, it would topple the boat completely. He let go of the sail and jumped towards his younger brother, grabbing onto him tightly. “Hold on, Al!” 

They screamed as the wave covered the boat from above, capsizing it and sending the two boys into the dark, ravenous waters.


	2. The Captain of the Firebird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Chapter 2 is up and I’ll hopefully be able to get on a writing schedule this week to get chapters out faster! Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to leave a kudos or a comment! Thanks so much for reading!

Chapter 2: The Captain of the Firebird

The sky was littered with leftover clouds from the night’s storm, the sun beginning to shine its rays down onto the deck of the massive ship in the now tame ocean waves. The crew aboard was going about their daily chores and manning their ship positions. On the upper deck, the Captain stood observing the rounds and waiting for his morning check in with a few select crew members.

A woman climbed the stairs to the top deck, dressed in brown pants and boots, her puffy white shirt billowing and cinched at the waist by a leather corset. Her long hair was tied back with a ribbon, the golden locks glowing in the morning light. She quickly approached him with a swift and rigid salute. 

“Captain, the ship is being well taken care of after the storm last night. The cargo has been secured and everyone is about their stations. No incidents or damage to report.”

“Thank you, Hawkeye.” Roy said with a smile. “It seems that Falman navigated us through the storm rather well last night.”

“Indeed, Sir.” She returned his expression and dropped her salute, stepping closer to look over the deck railing beside him. He mused inwardly on how she remained so poised even when she knew she could relax. 

“The storm wasn’t nearly as bad as that time we nearly crossed into Drachman waters.” Roy mentioned to her as he looked out to the sea ahead.

“It sure gave Breda the run around in the galley that time. Thankfully, he has learned to return the pots and pans to their proper places inside the cupboards.” Hawkeye retorted. “Speaking of Drachman waters…” She turned to him, her warm honey eyes caught his attention. 

“Ah.” He continued her thought process. “If we aren’t able to pass the Amestrian Royal Navy blockade, then we may have to head back in the direction of Aurego Islands.” 

Falman, one of the most valuable assets to the Captain’s crew, climbed the steps of the deck with multiple maps in hand, nearly dropping them as he moved quickly into a salute.

“Captain Mustang, Sir. I overlooked the routes on the map that you requested. I may have found a way past that blockade.”

“Excellent-”

A voice from one of the lower decks called out and the loud ringing of the emergency bell sounded across the ocean air. 

“Man overboard!” 

Hawkeye sprung from the deck and down the steps, followed closely by the Captain and Falman. As the three arrived on the low deck, the crew had already been working the pulleys to fish out whoever was afloat on the sea. 

“I didn’t give you permission to bring strangers aboard my ship!” Captain Mustang pulled back the shoulder of one of his men in order to face him. 

“Sir!” Hawkeye was currently leaning over the railing to get a better look. “It appears to be two children!” She quickly got into position to assist in lifting the kids over onto the ship. 

Captain Mustang released his crew member and stood to oversee as the crew carried two young boys, soaking wet and bedraggled, onto the floor of the deck. They groaned and rubbed their eyes, relishing in the safety of the dry wood beneath them.

Edward slowly awakened, slightly blinded by the sun as various strange people came into focus. His golden eyes shot open and he frantically looked over, but relaxed at seeing his brother alive and rousing slowly. He then realized they were surrounded by a group of men frantically whispering concerns to one another. 

“B-Brother?” Alphonse gulped, leaning over to Ed. “I think we may have been picked up by pirates…”

The crowd was made up of mostly men in various states of pirate sailing attire and much to the boys’ surprise, they did not look as menacing as the ones who had kidnapped Winry. However, almost all of them carried some form of sword or dagger which meant that they would still have to be wary of their rescuers.

A tall man in a long, dark blue coat approached the boys, the crew making way for him as his boots clicked on the wood planks. A hat with a red feather sat atop his raven-haired head and he was donned with various gold jewelry. Two swords and a pistol rested on his hips beneath the coat and his dark eyes were watching them carefully. Edward didn’t have to guess that this was the Captain of this ship. Behind the Captain stood a young woman, her face seemed kinder despite her stoic expression, she seemed to watch the boys just as carefully but perhaps for a different reason. 

“So, what do we have here?” Captain Mustang loomed over them. “What are two boys like you doing out here lost at sea?”

Ed looked at Al before glaring up at the man. “Why should we tell you anything?”

Roy’s eyes narrowed and he snapped his fingers at one of his men. On a cue, a tall blonde man with a cigarette hanging from his mouth picked up the boys by the back of their collars. Ed and Al kicked and squirmed until they were interrupted by the Captain.

“You should tell me because I’m the Captain of this ship and I haven’t decided if I should let you stay aboard or not, shrimp.” 

Ed huffed and curled his fists. “Who are you callin’ a shrimp!”

A couple of the men could be heard snickering at the boy’s outburst.

“Please, Sir!” Alphonse put his hands up defensively. “My brother didn’t mean any disrespect. You see, we are on a very important mission.”

Roy looked at the younger brother, who was somehow more eloquently spoken than the eldest. He smirked and waved his hand to signal the boy’s release. 

“What sort of mission has you two stranded out in the middle of the ocean?”

Alphonse nodded and responded to the Captain. “Our friend was captured and we are looking for the ones who took her, Sir. We live in a small fishing village called Resembool. No one from town was going to go after her until morning and we just couldn’t wait that long.”

“I see, so a friend of yours was captured…by who?” Mustang was intrigued by the two boys and their willingness to venture onto the seas on their own. 

Ed crossed his arms. “By some mean looking pirates, they came into port and took her. They didn’t even take anything else...”

“But now…” Alphonse had the realization dawn on him. “We thought we could catch up with them but then the storm hit and…”

The oldest brother’s gaze softened and he sighed. “Who knows where they went now…”

Captain Mustang rubbed his chin in thought. The woman behind him stepped closer to speak. “It seems odd that the Pirates would kidnap a child and not pillage the town.”

“I was thinking the same thing, Hawkeye.” 

Ed kicked his foot in frustration. “Ugh, if I ever see those guys with the funny tattoos again-I’m gonna kick their pirate butts! Especially the one that called me pip-”

“What did you say?” Roy asked in surprise. 

“What? About the one that called me a pip-”

“No. About the tattoos!” Roy swiftly knelt to the boys level. “What did you mean by ‘funny tattoos’?”

Alphonse perked up slightly. “I saw one of them with a funny looking tattoo on his hand, it was red and it looked like a snake of some sort...”

“I think the lady had one too, on her chest!” Ed chimed in. The boys looked around to see the group’s expression had changed. The air was tense and the Captain stiffened his posture, dropping his voice into a low, ominous tone.

“The Homunculi crew.”

The boys looked bewildered, prompting Ed to ask in a slight panic. “So you know who they are? Do you know where we could find them?”

Roy shook his head and Hawkeye crossed her arms, responding in a grave tone. “We know them-well, we’ve battled them once before.They are extremely dangerous and continue to sail the seas ruthlessly.”

The tall man with the cigarette chuckled. “Damn, you two kids were really gonna go looking for them? And with what weapons? They’d have you walk the plank before you even got a chance.”

“Well we can’t just let them take our friend! We promised to protect her!” Ed stomped his foot again.

Captain Mustang sighed, his stern expression fading. “I’m sorry boys, but I’m afraid Havoc is right. There is just no way you’d ever be able to beat them alone.”

Al’s eyes grew wide and his lip trembled. “B-But...what will happen to Winry?”

“We can’t just leave her!” Ed looked at Mustang with a fierce veracity. “You guys are pirates! You shouldn’t be afraid to take them down!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, kid.” The Captain said as he returned to a standing position. “Besides, we have a mission of our own to get back to. We’ll let you stay aboard until we hit our next port, then you’ll be on your own to return home.”

Alphonse ran up to Roy, pulling on his coat. “Please, Sir! You may be our only hope! We’ll give you everything we have!”

Roy put a hand on the boy’s head. “You have nothing of value to me.” 

Alphonse gasped and released the Captain’s coat, running back to his brother and untying the telescope from Ed’s waist. “Wait! We have this!” He handed the tiny bronze telescope to Mustang. “It’s something from our father! He said it can help you find the ocean’s biggest secret! That’s got to be of some kind of value?”

Mustang took the telescope and looked at it closely. His dark eyes widened and he looked back at the two boys, now noting their unusual traits. Golden hair and golden eyes. “Don’t tell me…” A devilish smirk appeared on his face. “...you two are related to Hohenheim.”

“We are his sons.” Ed spat. 

Mustang blinked a few times before suddenly laughing and putting a hand to his face. “You two are the sons of the infamous Pirate Captain Van Hohenheim?”

“Pirate Captain?” The boys asked in unison. 

“You mean you didn’t know?” Havoc scratched his head. “He never told you?”

“Van Hohenheim is or well-was...one of the most revered Pirates on all of the open waters.” Roy answered. 

“How do you know our Father?”

“Rumor has it, Hohenheim hid an incredible treasure somewhere and that you needed two telescopes in order to find it, but he disappeared before telling anyone where he hid them. They call this treasure the ocean’s greatest secret.” Roy suddenly gazed down at the boys, as a shark would upon its prey. “You wouldn’t happen to have the other one too...would you?” He motioned the telescope in his hands.

“Winry has it!” Ed exclaimed in sudden realization. This could work to his advantage. “Winry had it around her waist when she was taken!”

“That makes sense.” Hawkeye added. “That must have been why they took her.”

“So they are after this secret treasure, too?” Al inquired.

“That’s right kid, every Pirate on these waters is looking for it but few have the guts to actually face their fears and find it. The Homunculi crew is one of them.” Havoc took a drag on his cigarette, crossing his arms. 

“So it looks like we’ll have to find them after all, right Captain?” Hawkeye turned to her leader, watching his expression shift to a dangerously spirited one. 

“It appears so.” Roy’s grin only grew wider as he turned to his First Mate. “And I have a feeling I know exactly where they’re headed.” He turned back to the brothers. “Well boys, you’ll have to work the ship while you’re here, that is until we’ve rescued your friend and acquired the second telescope.”

The boys nodded in response, agreeing to the conditions.

“Congratulations, boys, on becoming pirates. Welcome to the Firebird.”


	3. Life on the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to get this chapter out sooner but life kinda got a little crazy! Anyways, here is chapter 3! Kudos and comments are always welcomed, lemme know whatcha think! Thank you so much for reading!

Chapter 3: Life on the Sea

“Congratulations boys, on becoming Pirates. Welcome to the Firebird.” 

Mustang smirked, then quickly shouted orders to his crew. “Havoc, see to it that the boys get settled in. Falman, you’ll accompany Hawkeye and myself to the upper deck to discuss our next strategy. The rest of you, back to manning your stations!” He turned swiftly, the long blue coat rising with a flourish as he made his way briskly toward the stairs. Hawkeye smiled at the boys before falling in line right behind the Captain, Falman in tow behind her.

Havoc chewed on his cigarette, chuckling as the two boys were wide eyed and gawking at the commotion around them. “I’m guessing you two haven’t been on a ship before, eh?”

They shook their heads. Al looked up at Havoc. “What are we supposed to do now, Sir?”

“Now don’t go callin’ me that, you’ll wanna save it for the Captain.” He gestured for them to follow him. “Now, let’s get you two squared away.”

The boys followed the tall, blonde pirate across the deck to a pair of doors leading down into the galley. The aroma of stew wafted through the air, causing the boys to take an intoxicating sniff.

“What smells so good in here?” Alphonse asked. 

“That would be our cook.” Havoc grinned, leading them into the galley. “This is our galley where we eat and this rapscallion is our cook, Breda.”

Breda turned around, chuckling. “Takes one to know one, doesn’t it?” He looked at Ed and Al as he continued to stir a pot of broth. “So these are the scoundrels that made their way onto the Captain’s ship, eh?”

“That’s right.” Havoc chewed his cigarette and pushed the boys forward. “Now you two start helping Breda here with whatever needs to be done. After that, you’ll be helping Furey. Behave yourselves.”

Ed grunted in frustration, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s one thing to make us do chores, it’s another to be so rough all the time.”

Havoc shrugged and made his way back up to the decks. Breda snickered, handing the two boys small knives. “That’s a pirate ship for ya. Now start peeling those vegetables would ya?” 

Ed huffed, turning to Alphonse who gave him a shrug. The two boys sat down on stools and began to carve away at some carrots. 

“Um, Mr. Breda, Sir?” Al asked. “What are we going to make with all these vegetables?”   
Breda glanced at the many barrels and sacks full of food that filled the galley. “I’m guessin’ you two ain’t worked on a ship before?” The boys shook their heads. “Well, we are gonna pickle most of this. This food should be enough for a few months at least. Food spoils pretty fast on the sea, so you gotta pickle or salt it to keep it fresh. Since we bought supplies recently, we get to have fresh stew tonight.”

Ed soured his face as he began carving another potato. “This is ridiculous.” He muttered.

“Could be worse kid, they could’ve had you cleanin’ the Head.” 

“The Head?” Alphonse asked. 

“The place to relieve yourself, as it were.” Breda began to chop up onions. 

Al shuddered and Ed huffed once more. “It’s not the chores I have a problem with! It’s that Captain! Making us peel potatoes and clean when we should be going after those Pirates and rescuing our friend!”

“Ed…” Al’s eyes softened, it was rare to see his brother so upset. 

Breda sighed, turning to them. His face was nearly shadowed by the lantern gently swaying with the feel of the ship. “Listen lads, you can’t just go after these other Pirates, okay? They are not to be messed with.”

“I thought Pirates battled each other all the time?” Ed asked. 

“While that may be true, the Homunculi are no ordinary band of scourges. See, rumour has it...they aren’t entirely human, but rather were born of the seafoam and pure evil. They’ve been sailing for a long time and I have heard of many trying to take them down but none have succeeded in even laying a scratch on them.”

“You think they are really creatures of the ocean?” Al wondered, his voice slightly hoarse. 

“Born from the dark depths or human, either way, they are monsters. Cuttin’ down anyone in their path, they’re absolutely ruthless.” Breda continued. 

“But...isn’t that what Pirates do?” Ed challenged. “Fight, pillage towns, steal and kill?”

“Well, that is true for many ships sailing under black flags. But not all of them...not us.”

“You don’t?” Alphonse inquired carefully. “If you don’t do that...then what?”

He smiled slightly at the boys. “We may be Pirates, but nearly anyone who doesn’t sail under the thumb of the Amestrian Navy is considered one anyways. Of course, we do fight and steal from other ships, but only from those who bring harm to others.” Breda turned to Ed. “Don’t get the wrong impression about the Captain, kid. He’s changing the game of Piracy, trying to make the world a better place, I guess?” 

“So...you are actually good guys?” Ed seemed taken aback. “I never thought I’d ever see a nice pirate.”

Breda chuckled. “I wouldn’t call us good, but we do our best to steal from those who have taken wrongfully and return it to people who need it more. The Captain’s not such a bad man once you get to know what he stands for.”

“But if the Captain is such a good man, then why is he after some incredible treasure?” The oldest brother sneered. 

“Well, I’m sure he has good intentions with it. From what I’ve heard about this treasure, is that nearly everyone who sails the sea is after it. If it falls into the wrong hands...well, I believe the Captain wants to find it before the Homunculi crew or the Amestrian Navy find it.”

“But, Sir?” Alphonse interjected. “Isn’t the Amestrian Navy supposed to defend the people? Why would it be bad if they found the treasure first?”

“There’s a lot to learn about this world, lad.” Breda sighed. “You’ll find out soon enough, I’m sure of it.”

The brothers looked at each other in confusion before shrugging and going back to their peeling, sitting in the galley for a while longer.

A few hours had passed when a smaller man with old spectacles entered the galley. He seemed quite younger than many of the other crew members the boys had seen so far, his face was rounder and kinder looking than most of them too. 

“Afternoon, Breda.” He said before turning to the boys. “I’ll be taking you from the galley to help me with some chores up on the deck, so come with me.”

The boys set down their knives and bid the cook goodbye before following the younger man back upstairs to the main deck. The bright sun nearly blinded the brothers, causing them to lose their balance and bump into each other.

The younger man chuckled. “Yeah, the galley stays pretty dim so walking back onto the deck can be a bit of a shock. You’ll get used to it though, don’t worry. The name’s Furey by the way. What should I be callin’ you two?”

“I’m Ed, and this is my younger brother Alphonse.” 

“Well, welcome aboard the Firebird.” Furey beamed at them, picking up two buckets of water and some brushes. “I’ll need you two to start scrubbing this deck until it’s all clean. We run a tidy ship around here. I’ll be over there working on some of the cannons, come find me if you have any questions.”

“Wait!” Ed put his hands up. “Do you think the Captain is really going to help us rescue our friend?”

Furey looked around quickly before kneeling and putting his hand up to speak in a hushed voice. “From what I overheard, Captain Mustang is setting a course. He seems to think they’re headed towards Drachman territory and if we pick up speed we might be able to catch them before they land somewhere.” The young man adjusted his glasses and looked around again. “But you didn’t hear that from me, okay?”

The boys nodded, watching Furey return to standing and make his way across to the other side of the deck. Alphonse turned to his older brother.

“I guess these pirates really aren’t so bad?”

The boys began their task of scrubbing the wooden planks of the main deck with soapy water, occasionally getting distracted by the hustle and bustle of the crewmen working on the ship. Some were pulling on ropes to adjust specific sails, others were up on the riggings tightening and hammering on the yards. Some were weaving nets for fishing while a few of the men were helping Furey with some pieces of a dismantled cannon. 

Al stopped scrubbing for a moment as something caught his eye. The woman he had seen standing behind the Captain earlier was swinging on a rope from one of the smaller masts up to the main mast of the ship. She quickly swung through the air, gracefully landing on a ratline and began to climb to the top of the main mast. 

“Ed…” Alphonse nudged his brother, his face in awe. “It’s like she just flew through the air…”

Edward looked to where Al was pointing, seeing the woman from earlier. It was a strange sight. Their father had never mentioned there being any female pirates. He noticed the Homunculi crew had a woman with them, but she appeared just as threatening as the rest of their group. This woman on the firebird was different. Her features were softer and more delicate, despite the pistols on her hip and the small sword tied around her waist. Her gaze was unwavering and forever careful. 

The boys continued to watch the woman’s ascent on the ratline, only to be startled by Furey’s voice behind them.

“That would be First Mate Hawkeye...in case you were wondering?”

Alphonse’s eyes were wide. “I never knew there could be women aboard pirate ships, but look! She flew through the air like a bird, she’s amazing!”

Ed’s brows furrowed in concern, his mind wandering to Winry and then back to the conversation at hand. “Furey, she-Hawkeye... is here of her own free will, right?”

Furey laughed. “Hawkeye? Like I said, she’s Captain Mustang’s First Mate. She’s been here longer than any of us and will likely be here long after, what with her skills and all.”

“Skills?” Alphonse inquired.

“Don’t be fooled by her stoic and womanly demeanor, she is confidently skilled at anything that shoots a bullet. Trust me, she never misses.”

“Is that why they call her Hawkeye?” Ed wondered.

“No, although it is a strange coincidence to have the sight of a hawk and to be named that way, isn’t it?” Furey pondered for a moment before turning his attention back up to the sails. “Right now she is headed for the crow’s nest where she can keep an eye out for land or other ships, other than that she is usually at the Captain’s side.”

A man from across the deck called for Furey who smiled once more at the brothers before returning to his post. Ed glanced towards the upper deck, seeing Captain Mustang for the first time since this morning, leaning confidently on the railing to oversee his crew until he turned his attention up towards the crow’s nest. A small smile appeared on Mustang’s face as he watched his First Mate looking out towards the sea. 

A few hours later, Ed and Al had finished their scrubbing and returned their buckets of water to their proper places. The oldest brother stretched his arms toward the sky, attempting to relieve the soreness in his muscles.

Alphonse rubbed his arms, groaning slightly. “You’d never know how big a ship really is until you have to wash every plank of it.”

Edward clutched his rumbling stomach. “I wonder if they’ll let us eat soon?”

Suddenly, a clanging bell sounded across the decks of the ship. Breda was shouting from the entrance to the galley. 

“Time to eat, you scallywags!”

Ed’s mouth began to water, racing towards the galley with Alphonse close behind him and nearly slammed into someone’s back. 

Havoc turned around, still chewing a cigarette. “Careful, no runnin’ to the galley okay? Grab your bowls and join us on the main deck.”

“Why aren’t we eating in the galley?” Alphonse wondered.

Havoc grinned. “Because, it’s music night and the main deck is where we play our melodies.”

Ed and Al looked at each other and shrugged, grabbing bowls of stew and from the galley and making their way back to the main deck with the rest of the crew.

A few minutes later…

Hawkeye leaned on the railing of the crow’s nest, the saltwater breeze wrapped around her in the cold night air. She looked up towards the stars, pondering the strange events of the day and the new course the crew aboard the Firebird would be taking.

“I thought I’d find you up here.” Captain Mustang’s voice didn’t surprise her, she had sensed him climbing the ratline to join her. He smiled when she turned her head to greet him. “May I join you?”

“Captain.” Hawkeye nodded to him stoically, as she always did. Her eyes caught sight of a familiar coat in his arms.

“I always worry you’ll catch a chill up here, Hawkeye.” He moved towards her and slipped the only coat she owned onto her shoulders. 

“I don’t normally mind the cold air.” She began, her tone softening. “But thank you, the closer we approach Drachman territory the colder it will be.”

“It’s been quite a long time since we’ve seen snow on a shoreline.” Mustang said as he came to lean on the railing next to her. He looked down towards the main deck where the lanterns were lit and the crewmen had begun to sing their nautical harmonies. “I’m surprised you aren’t down there where all the fun is, you love sea shanties…”

Riza turned to him. “Is that an invitation to dance, Sir?”

“I’m sure you would be honored to dance with the ‘Dreaded Pirate Lord of the Amestrian Seas’, wouldn’t you?” He smirked and raised an eyebrow, putting heavy emphasis on the nickname.

She smacked his shoulder, causing the Captain to chuckle in response. She shook her head, attempting to hide her amusement. “I regret ever showing you the wanted poster that the Navy had put up in the Amestrian isles.”

“It’s a pretty intimidating title don’t you think? We have raided nearly twenty of their vessels, after all.”

“I suppose, although it doesn’t quite speak to your character.”

“I don’t think it ever will.” Roy watched his men prance around on the deck, clinking bottles of rum together. “Besides, I don’t do it for the recognition...I do it because it is the right thing to do.”

“Aye, Sir.” Hawkeye responded, holding out her hand casually having already seen the Captain reaching for his flask. 

He shook his head and laughed, handing her the small container full of rum. “Cheers, Hawkeye.”

She closed her eyes and took a swig of the amber liquid before passing it back to her Captain. “Cheers, Sir.”

Mustang nodded and took the next sip, contemplating as the taste of rum lingered on his tongue. “Do you think I should warn them of the danger coming?”

“Perhaps…” Riza thought for a moment, joining his gaze below where the men had begun to pull out their instruments. “...but for now, let them be merry. They’ll be ready for whatever comes our way. Though...you may want to take it easy on the boys, they seem so young and look so defeated at the thought of their friend in captivity…”

“Is that what you saw?” Mustang smirked. “No, those boys are determined. I’m giving them a fair chance at what it means to be on a ship before we make our next move. Trust me, they can handle it.”

“If you say so, Sir.” Hawkeye smiled as she could hear Breda begin to play the drum in a slow, deep rhythm and Havoc’s voice could be heard starting the sea shanty all the way up to the crow’s nest. She began to hum the tune, followed by the Captain, the two taking turns with the flask of rum and singing along to the crew’s melodies down below.

Aboard the Ouroborus...

Winry awoke laying on her side, curled up on the floor in an unfamiliar place. Her eyes fluttered open to a dimly lit cell with nothing but wood planks surrounding her and one wall of cold, steel bars. She slowly rose, her heart racing as she recalled how she had gotten here. The last thing she remembered was being carried away within someone’s rough grasp, the view of her village’s pub fading from sight. 

She shivered in the cold air, rubbing her arms to keep warm before trying to stand. Her first initial rise sent her stumbling from imbalance. It took her a second to realize why. The seemingly moving floor was just the unfamiliar rocking of a ship in the water. Winry gasped. ‘How long has it been? How far from home am I?’ She wondered, clutching the steel bars and trying to poke her head out of the opening hoping to see something that might help her escape. Suddenly, a metal rod hit the bars, sending an absurdly loud ringing in her ears and causing her to retreat farther into the cell.

“I wouldn’t touch those bars again unless you want to be hit next time.” A voice chuckled from the shadows. The voice was raspy, even more chilling coming from the darkness. 

Winry watched the Pirate step into view in front of the bars, a sickening grin cast over his face shrouded by strands of hair tied underneath a red fabric. 

“W-Who are you…? And...where am I?” She tensed at hearing her own voice quiver.

The Pirate looked at her, a gaze mixed with amusement and hate. “They call me Envy and you’re on the deadliest ship in all the seas.” He threw out his arms in a grand gesture, ending on a snake-like tone. “Congratulations…”

Winry took a deep breath and swallowed hard, making direct eye contact with him. “What do you want with me?”

“You sure do ask a lot of questions, don’tcha? Well I’d say it’s time you answered some of ours, sound like a deal?”

“I couldn’t possibly have anything of valu-” Winry began, only to be cut off by Envy. 

“What is a little girl like you doing with something as valuable as this?” Envy held up the bronze telescope that had been gifted to her from the Elrics. 

She gasped, grabbing at her waist in disbelief. “My telescope! Give that back!” As soon as she made a move towards the steel bars, the Pirate swung the metal rod against them to create another clamour of noise. 

“Ah, ah, ah...not so fast, little girl.” Envy’s expression changed, he tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing with Hohenheim’s telescope?”

“I-I...I just had it...” 

“Who gave it to you?” 

“I....stole it.” Winry bit her lip, hoping Envy would believe her lie. ‘I don’t want him to know anything about Ed and Al.’ She affirmed to herself. 

“Stole it?” Envy raised a brow. “From who?”

“A...A merchant…” She desperately tried to think of a story to suit the idea. “A merchant that came to my village...he had it in his tent and I stole it from him.”

“Why did you steal it?” He continued to press her, sensing her discomfort made him believe that she could be lying to him. 

“It was...shiny, and I thought it would be pretty…”

Envy watched her carefully, rubbing his chin in thought. “So you stole it from some random merchant because you thought it would be pretty, huh?” 

“Yes!” Winry exclaimed, putting her hands together. “May I please go home now?”

His expression filled with an unsettling delight, his laughter reverberated in her ears. “Oh no, we are already very far from that worthless little village of yours…”

“Take me back!” Her eyes misted with tears. “I want to go home!”

“Hey!” Envy swung the metal rod against the bars again. “Don’t go crying on us, you ungrateful little welp.” He smiled wide, baring his teeth. “This telescope just happens to be one of the most sought after items in all of the seas. You’re lucky we didn’t tear you and your little village apart for it.” 

“I don’t care that you take it! But why did you take me?” She questioned.

Envy stood with a sigh and shrugged casually. “Because I don’t believe your little story about stealing this telescope. I’ll be getting more information out of you, but for now...enjoy your stay. If you play nice, I might just let ya scrub the decks.” With that, he turned quickly and made his way back into the shadows. 

As soon as Winry could no longer hear Envy’s boots, she curled into a corner and hugged herself tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling into a restless sleep and hoping that she would be able to return home soon.


	4. Sea Legs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this chapter out and I'm so excited for moments coming up! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, comments and kudos are always welcome! Thank you so much for reading! :)

Chapter 4: Sea Legs

The sun beat down on Ed’s face as he weaved the threads of a fishing net together, occasionally grunting in frustration as his fingers got stuck in the knots. Alphonse on the other hand, had mostly gotten the hang of it although his knots were still too loose according to Havoc.

Suddenly, Ed felt a piece of cloth hit his face and it obscured his sight momentarily. Pulling the cloth off of his eyes he looked up at Havoc standing in front of them with a smug expression.

“You’ll be wanting to cover your heads with that cloth, it’ll help shield you from the sun a bit.”

Al turned the cloth over in his hand, trying not to grimace at the tattered rags he and his brother had been given. He held back a sigh, too polite to say anything.

Ed however was not as polite, rather, he liked to speak his mind. “Where has this cloth been? It looks dirty?”

Havoc chewed on his cigarette. “If you don’t want them...then give them back.”

Clutching the cloth to his chest protectively, Edward made a face. “N-No!”

The tall, blonde pirate quirked an eyebrow, smirking. “I thought so. You two better understand that this is a pirate ship, not a cozy inn. We work with what we’ve got, you’ll just have to earn your sea legs a little faster than most.”

“Earn our sea legs?” Al inquired. 

“That’s right, ya gotta learn to move as one with the Firebird.” Havoc answered. “There’s trouble ahead, facing the homunculi isn’t going to be easy so you’ll want to learn how to stand your ground on this ship.”

Ed and Al gave each other apprehensive looks before a shout could be heard from above, directing all of the ship’s attention to the crow’s nest where Hawkeye was looking out towards the oncoming waves.

“Navy sails, ahead!” 

Havoc motioned quickly to the boys, who followed him to the center of the main deck. He reached into a crate and pulled out two small swords and pushed them into their arms.

“Here, keep these close. Don’t lose them and don’t poke your eyes out.”

Ed looked over the sword in his hand, gulping at the realness of it. He and Al had loved to play fight with wooden sticks back home, but this was the real thing. It was real danger.

“Wha-” Alphonse held the weapon far away from him as if the metal blade would bite him at any moment. “We can’t use these! These are weapons!”

“And that oncoming ship is an enemy.” Havoc retorted, grabbing their shirt collars he dragged them to stand in line with the rest of the crew that had gathered. Ed looked around and noticed that Furey stood behind them and Breda had even emerged from the galley to stand at attention. Captain Mustang quickly appeared in front of his crew. 

“Listen up, men!” Mustang spoke clearly, his expression fierce. “A navy ship is approaching with haste, so prepare to haul wind and run a shot across the bow. Should the ship fail to retreat we will overtake the ship and it’s crew, giving them quarter. No dead men, do I make myself clear?”

“Aye-Aye! Captain!” The crew saluted.

Ed furrowed his brows in confusion. “What is he saying?”

Furey leaned down to the boys. “It’s ship talk, you’ll have to learn it fast but he’s telling us to sail the ship into the wind, fire a warning shot and if the ship doesn’t retreat then we pillage it.”

“But isn’t it a navy ship ahead?” Al asked.

“There’s no way the Captain is going to be able to take on a navy ship!” Ed sneered, only stopping when he felt a presence looming over him. Realizing he was stuck within the Captain’s shadow, the oldest brother grimaced at the smug on Mustang’s face.

“Ah, so the little brat doesn’t think that I could fight my way through one enemy ship?” Roy straightened and chuckled as Edward lost his cool, fuming at Mustang’s choice of the word ‘little’ being used in his description. “Perhaps a demonstration is in order?”

Hawkeye, who had been standing behind the Captain while he addressed the crew, diligently slid a barrel out from the wall. Mustang pulled the two swords from their hilts around his waist and dipped them into the barrel, coating them in some kind of liquid. 

“Leave it to the Captain to have to show off just to prove a little kid wrong…” Havoc muttered to Breda, who just shook his head and grinned.

“You have to admit, it is quite a show after all.” Furey offered politely.

“What’s that liquid on the swords?” Ed inquired to the men nearby.

“See for yourself, kid.” Breda nodded in the Captain’s direction.

Captain Mustang smiled as he held the two swords towards Hawkeye, who now held a flint striker in her hands. One click and suddenly both blades of the sword were alive with fire.

‘The barrel must be filled with some kind of oil…’ Ed thought to himself in awe.

Ed and Al’s eyes grew wide at the sight of the Captain and the flaming swords in his hands, the crew cheered and Hawkeye stood politely, although Ed could tell she was holding back an exasperated sigh.

“Alright men, to your stations!” Captain Mustang began to bark out orders to his men, who quickly followed his lead and engaged with the ship with such efficiency. Pirates pulled ropes and adjusted sails, gathering their weapons and preparing the ship for potential battle. It seems as though everyone knew their place and what to do, leaving the two brothers standing around in confusion with the swords weighing heavy in their hands.

“Sir, the Navy Ship is almost upon us!” Falman yelled from the wheel, prompting Hawkeye to order at Furey.

“Furey! Prepare to fire the warning shot!”

“Yes, Sir!” The bespectacled pirate saluted her. “Already in position, ready to fire at will!”

Hawkeye nodded before briskly striding over to the side of the ship where the Captain was ready to greet the oncoming navy men himself, swords still flaming wildly.

Ed and Al ran to the same side on the main deck, looking over the railing as the two ships met at a grueling pace, having both slowed in order to ride the same wave. The next few moments happened so quickly, the boys were sure they would only remember it as a blur.

The sound of yelling, the boom of a cannon, more yelling, and the smell of gunpowder was nearly overwhelming. The navy ship was shouting their orders and the fight had begun. A cannonball rumbled the side of the Firebird, knocking the two brothers off of their feet. As they looked up from the floor of the main deck, they could see pirates swinging from the Firebird over to the yards of the navy ship before scurrying down the ratlines and onto the deck below. Ed and Al stood just in time to see Captain Mustang on the top deck of the navy ship, swords ablaze, as he dueled the Navy Captain.

Nearly every pirate was battling a crewman, including Falman who was still manning the wheel with dexterity. Ed looked back towards the navy ship, seeing a few of their crewmembers who had escaped the battle and were sliding a plank of wood over to the side of the Firebird’s railing. 

“Al, look!” He nudged his brother and the two of them ducked out of sight. “It looks like they are going to try to infiltrate the Firebird!”

“What do we do?” Al looked to where Captain Mustang was still dueling with the Navy Captain and a few crewmates. “There isn’t anyone to stop them!”

Ed bit his lip, contemplating what to do. ‘Sure, this is a pirate ship but…’ he thought to himself, finally deciding on the choice he was going to make. The oldest Elric stood and ran towards the plank where the crewmen had started walking across. 

Alphonse called out to him before following his brother. “Ed! What are you doing?” He watched Ed trying to push the plank off of the side of the ship with some strained difficulty.

He turned back to his little brother, golden eyes fierce. “They may be pirates but they might be our only way to save Winry!”

Alphonse nodded and began to help Ed move the plank, causing it to wobble and the crewmen atop it shouted, waving their arms to keep balance. 

“Hey! Stop that, you two!” One of the navy men called out, slowly starting to step back in retreat.

“Sorry, Sir! It’s nothing personal!” Alphonse gave him a sympathetic face before helping Ed to give one last shove, finally pushing the plank off the deck with the navy men just barely hopping back to their ship in time. The plank fell into the water with a resounding splash.

It didn’t take much longer for the Navy ship to be subdued, within minutes the crewmen were tied up as the pirates of the Firebird began to confiscate crates of food, clothing, and items of gold and silver. Captain Mustang returned to his ship, carrying a fairly large chest of gold and a few bottles of rum. He thanked the men and once his pirate crew were all aboard once more, Falman began to steer the ship away from the scene, leaving the navy ship far behind them.

Havoc walked up to the boys, arms crossed with a smirk. “Nice job out there, boys. You defended the ship well.”

Al shuffled his feet. “We did what we knew we had to, but I don’t know if I feel right about just leaving those men like that? Isn’t it wrong to steal?”

The tall blonde pirate took out a flint striker, lighting his cigarette before kneeling down to be eye level with the two brothers. “You’re right, kid. It isn’t right to steal from those less fortunate, which is why we did what we did back there. The navy is ruthless, taking from the poor, the sick, and the needy while they sit high and mighty on their thrones. That chest of gold you saw the Captain come back with? It’s the unfairly heavy taxation of nearby villages and islands. We steal it and give it back to those who really need it.”

“You give it all back?” Ed asked, his eyes wide.

Havoc chuckled. “We aren’t the most conventional pirates, I’ll admit. But if ya look around, nearly every single one of us has dealt with the navy wrongin’ us in some way. Stick with us a bit longer and you’ll see.”

“Um, Havoc?” Ed asked, turning back to the navy ship that was slowly disappearing behind them. “Didn’t you all take their food and leave them tied up back there?”

“Ah, don’t worry about them. The Captain always gives quarter so we leave them with just enough ration to make it to the next port and we leave the ropes loose enough for them to untangle themselves eventually.” He said confidently.

The boys nodded their heads in understanding before Havoc put them back to chores, working until supper and the rest of the crew fell into its post-battle routine of maintenance and clean up.

A few hours later…

Roy’s eyes focused intently on the map, looking over the route that Falman had drawn up for him and checked the compass regularly. The light inside the Captain’s Quarters had grown dimmer, the wax of the tall candles threatening to drip onto the maps on his table. He sighed and leaned back in his velvet chair, his eyes closing slightly.

The sound of his door opening awoke him, startling him slightly as he sat straight up again. Roy relaxed when he noticed his First Mate was the one who had entered. She was the only one who was able to come and go within the Captain’s Quarters freely, others wouldn’t have dared.

“Are you alright, Captain?” Hawkeye asked, closing the door behind her and crossing the distance over to the table where he sat.

Roy waved her off. “Just drifted off I’m afraid…”

“You’ve been pouring over those maps for hours, besides all the excitement aboard the ship today of course.” Hawkeye’s face remained stoic, her arms crossed over her chest. “Why not take some rest?”

He smiled. “I would, but I want to make sure everything will go according to plan.” She didn’t respond however she didn’t move from her spot in front of the table either. “Taking out a single Navy ship is one thing, facing the Homunculi without a fight or casualty is another. It has to be well planned.”

“It is well planned.” She tilted her head ever so slightly. 

“I am still not fond of it entirely.” 

“Aye, but it will work.”

Captain Mustang leaned back in his chair once more, looking her over before sighing. “I don’t like sending you out into uncharted waters like that.”

Hawkeye shrugged. “I’ve done these things before, or have you begun to doubt my skills?”

“Never that, Riza.” He scowled at her mild challenge, but noticed that the sound of her first name made her stiffen. “It is never because I doubt you, but this is the most dangerous encounter so far. The last time we ran into them-”

“I remember.” She sighed. “It isn’t a memory I like to think about often.”

“So you understand my hesitation?”

“I understand, Captain.” Riza said. “Although this is out of necessity. If you’re going to find that treasure, then you need that second telescope.”

“And we must find it before the Homunculi or the Navy do, and it’s not going to be easy getting past that blockade.” Roy added.

“Falman was confident he could steer the ship safely through. We will retrieve the telescope and the boys’ young friend from the Homunculi.” Riza reassured him calmly. “This will work.”

“Aye, It will because it has to. We don’t have any other options.” Roy looked at her carefully, always waiting for a change in her expression. “So, you’ll continue to follow me then?”

“Into hell if we must, Sir.” 

His smile widened, nodding in agreement. She bid him goodnight and went to turn from the table, Roy stood quickly and grabbed her wrist.

“Wait, Hawkeye.”

She turned back to him, feeling the heat of his fingertips on her wrist. His grasp didn’t hurt but it came with a gravitational pull towards her Captain, one that she had always felt around him. 

“Yes, Sir?” Riza asked, wondering if he could see the warmth spreading across her cheeks as his face dawned his usual charm. 

“Share a drink with me tonight?”

Hawkeye knew if she did, there would be a headache in the morning for both of them. She smiled, her guard lowering. “Aye, Sir.”

Mustang released her and walked over to the cabinet where he kept his personal store of liquor, grabbing an amber bottle and pouring it into two glasses. Roy handed her one and the two clinked their drinks together, letting the sounds of their conversation and multiple more rounds of liquor carry them into the night.


End file.
